I think they try to be, but it’s definitely a “clique” that holds all the officer positions and the one meeting I went to, there were only 2 of us there who weren’t on the board. It felt like I was intruding on their private time honestly. I don’t know. But then I know they have a hard time getting enough parent volunteers for events - they rely a lot on MS/HS kids who need volunteer hours and local Scouts/Girl Scouts troops. But all the fundraisers have been very successful so it seems like people would rather donate money/goods than time volunteering! This is not in a pricey area of NoVa BTW, our school is overall middle class.

Ours is not. I attended a meeting and was the only non-position holding person, and no one talked to me!

Also, it's frustrating when they ask for volunteers but then there are way too many people for the amount of work needed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our PTO is cliquey and unwelcoming. The women come across as snobs who don’t have enough to do. Almost every one who is heavily involved is a SAHM. They are mostly helicopter parents whose kids likely have or will have anxiety.

I don’t agree with women working for $0 so I do not volunteer. I paid $20k in property taxes last year though.

Wow, you sound obnoxious. You don't believe in volunteering and helping out the school educating and caring for your kids?

It’s not that I don’t believe in helping out. It’s that I’m suspicious of why only women are doing this. I’m very aware of how much men take advantage of unpaid labor. I’d prefer my county to increase taxes to use to pay women to perform labor for the school.

I wouldn’t work for free for my company and I’m not working for free for the local middle school.

At our school the few SAHDs are very involved in the PTA, as well as the occasional dad with a very flexible job. But there are just more SAHMs then SAHDs. It has to do with availability, let's be honest. It's not a big gender-based conspiracy.

Mine is horrid, I will never volunteer through the pta.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our PTO is cliquey and unwelcoming. The women come across as snobs who don’t have enough to do. Almost every one who is heavily involved is a SAHM. They are mostly helicopter parents whose kids likely have or will have anxiety.

I don’t agree with women working for $0 so I do not volunteer. I paid $20k in property taxes last year though.

Wow, you sound obnoxious. You don't believe in volunteering and helping out the school educating and caring for your kids?

It’s not that I don’t believe in helping out. It’s that I’m suspicious of why only women are doing this. I’m very aware of how much men take advantage of unpaid labor. I’d prefer my county to increase taxes to use to pay women to perform labor for the school.

I wouldn’t work for free for my company and I’m not working for free for the local middle school.

Anonymous wrote:Our PTO is cliquey and unwelcoming. The women come across as snobs who don’t have enough to do. Almost every one who is heavily involved is a SAHM. They are mostly helicopter parents whose kids likely have or will have anxiety.

I don’t agree with women working for $0 so I do not volunteer. I paid $20k in property taxes last year though.

Wow, you sound obnoxious. You don't believe in volunteering and helping out the school educating and caring for your kids?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our middle school PTA is warm and welcoming but we still can't find volunteers. It's incredibly frustrating. People want a good pta but they don't want to volunteer and they don't want to pay for it. And ours is a super wealthy neighborhood too. I wish people would realize how much they are saving using the public school and throw some money or time our way.

I'm still stuck in my PTA office and my kid has moved on to high school. I'm not kidding. I can't find anyone to replace me and without my position, the pta ceases to function. It's bad.

So let them figure it out. Or let it crash and burn. If the parents whose kids attend the school don't care about the PTA, maybe it's not necessary. I am leaving a position at the end of this year that I've held for 8 years. They have no replacement for me and it's the biggest source of revenue for the PTA. I am happy to train the next person to take over but they have no one. Oh well. Not my problem.

I came to this point this year. Eventually someone took over but they aren't doing much of anything but not my problem anymore.

Anonymous wrote:Our middle school PTA is warm and welcoming but we still can't find volunteers. It's incredibly frustrating. People want a good pta but they don't want to volunteer and they don't want to pay for it. And ours is a super wealthy neighborhood too. I wish people would realize how much they are saving using the public school and throw some money or time our way.

I'm still stuck in my PTA office and my kid has moved on to high school. I'm not kidding. I can't find anyone to replace me and without my position, the pta ceases to function. It's bad.

Don't be a martyr PP. Just quit, let them figure it out.

Our PTO is cliquey and unwelcoming. The women come across as snobs who don’t have enough to do. Almost every one who is heavily involved is a SAHM. They are mostly helicopter parents whose kids likely have or will have anxiety.

I don’t agree with women working for $0 so I do not volunteer. I paid $20k in property taxes last year though.

Anonymous wrote:Our middle school PTA is warm and welcoming but we still can't find volunteers. It's incredibly frustrating. People want a good pta but they don't want to volunteer and they don't want to pay for it. And ours is a super wealthy neighborhood too. I wish people would realize how much they are saving using the public school and throw some money or time our way.

I'm still stuck in my PTA office and my kid has moved on to high school. I'm not kidding. I can't find anyone to replace me and without my position, the pta ceases to function. It's bad.

So let them figure it out. Or let it crash and burn. If the parents whose kids attend the school don't care about the PTA, maybe it's not necessary. I am leaving a position at the end of this year that I've held for 8 years. They have no replacement for me and its the biggest source of revenue for the PTA. I am happy to train the next person to take over but they have no one. Oh well. Not my problem.